Former European commissioner and Center Party veteran Kadri Simson is returning to Estonian politics, this time as a member of the Social Democratic Party (SDE).
Simson, who served as European commissioner for energy from 2019 to 2024, plans to run for election to the Riigikogu in Tartu next March, marking a return to the city where she grew up and where her late father, longtime Center Party politician Aadu Must, chaired the city council.
Nearly two years after leaving the Center Party, Simson said she joined the Social Democrats because they offer Estonia a positive direction, not just simply opposition to others.
"Our voice in Europe has clearly grown weaker in recent years," she said, stressing that Estonia needs a stronger presence in the EU. "We must do more to advance Estonia's interests and support Ukraine."
Simson cited these among the factors motivating her decision to run for election as MP. The former EU energy chief also called for changes in energy policy, saying Estonia must reduce its dependence on imported fuels.
She said her decision had been nearly two years in the making, stubbornly turning down calls to return to politics in the meantime.
"But as the president said yesterday, you can't just stand by and do nothing," Simson recalled. "I couldn't remain indifferent either."
SDE chair: I wouldn't rule out a win
The former commissioner believes the Social Democrats can win next spring, crucially offering "stability, positive progress and European values."
SDE chair Lauri Läänemets noted that Simson's leadership experience would strengthen the party's credentials, adding that more politicians from all levels are expected to join their ranks as well.
He said the SDE, which has previously earned one seat in the 101-member Riigikogu in Tartu, is now aiming to win two. "I wouldn't rule out the Social Democrats winning the elections in Tartu either," he added.
While the Social Democrats will certainly benefit from Simson's energy expertise, the party chair stressed their ambitions go beyond just energy policy.
"The key question this election," Läänemets said, "is whether we choose a stronger, more democratic and unified European Union or turn our backs on the values that have made Estonia successful."
Kadri Simson was a member of the Center Party from 1995 to 2024, served as MP across four Riigikogu terms and was Estonia's minister of economic affairs and infrastructure before joining the European Commission.
As a Center Party member, she previously ran for the Riigikogu in Pärnu.
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